Glycerius

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Glycerius was the Western Roman Emperor from March 473 to June 474 .

Life

Solidus of Glycerius

After the death of Olybrius in autumn 472, the western Roman imperial throne initially remained vacant for several months, as the eastern Roman emperor Leo I did not find a suitable successor in his opinion.

The magister militum (army master) and patricius Gundobad , the de facto head of the western government, finally proclaimed Glycerius emperor in March 473. Little is known of Glycerius' early life; but in 473 he held the important post of comes domesticorum (guard commander). The military Glycerius does not seem to have belonged to the senatorial upper class, as a certain distance between him and the urban Roman aristocracy can be seen.

The late emperors of the western empire were mostly largely powerless and dependent on their generals. From the middle of the fifth century, however, Majorian and Anthemius showed , ultimately in vain, initiative of their own in an attempt to restore the authority of the empire and control over the Roman West. Glycerius also seems to have tried again to actively intervene in the events, both diplomatically and, with Gundobad's help, militarily. In any case, his rule is rated positively in the sources, which is in contrast to most of the other late emperors who came to the throne with the support of a general. It was significant that in the summer of 473 Glycerius succeeded in defending Italy against an advance by the Visigoths , whose rex Euric wanted to bring the area under his control.

Glycerius was never recognized as emperor by Leo I; Instead, he finally appointed Julius Nepos as Western Roman Emperor, who landed with troops in Italy in June 474. Since Gundobad had recently returned to his homeland and Glycerius lacked the military means, he surrendered to Julius Nepos and was deposed. He then became Bishop of Salona .

When Nepos himself was ousted from Italy a little later, he withdrew there. The late antique historian Malchus of Philadelphia made the claim that Glycerius was involved in a conspiracy against Julius Nepos in 480, in which he was killed.

literature

  • Henning Börm : Westrom. From Honorius to Justinian . Stuttgart 2018, p. 124 f.
  • Dirk Henning: Periclitans res Publica. Empire and elites in the crisis of the Western Roman Empire 454 / 5–493. Stuttgart 1999, p. 50 f.
  • Otto Seeck : History of the fall of the ancient world. Volume 6. Stuttgart 1920, p. 375 f. and p. 491 f.

Web links

predecessor Office successor
Olybrius Western Roman Emperor
473–474 		Julius Nepos
personal data
SURNAME Glycerius
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Western Roman emperor
DATE OF BIRTH before 473
DATE OF DEATH after 480